Bobbin delivery control for weft replenishing looms



Aug. 4, 1942. I R. G. TURNER 2,291,997

BOBBIN DELIVERY CONTROL FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed April 21, 19412 Sheets-Sheet l lNvEN-roR RICHARD G.TURN E R @LAW ATTQRNEY Aug. 4,1942. R. G. TURNER 2,291,997

BOBBIN DELIVERY CONTROL FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed April 21, 19412 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvEN T0 R R c H ARD GTLJRNER zea 11 g AT To RN EYPatented Aug. 4, 1942 IOBBIN nsuvaar CONTROL I03 war-r "WISHING LOQHIllohard o. Turner, Worcester, Mala, su to 'Orompton a Knowles LoomWorks. Worcester, Man. a corporation of Massachusetts Application Aprilll, 1941, Serial No. 880,570

"Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms of thetype wherein several stacks of reserve bobbins form a group to supplythe same kind of weft which is predominant in the fabric pattern whileanother stack supplies a fancy weft and it is the general object of theinvention to provide means for utilizing the full capacity of the stacksin the group regardless of the ratio of fancy to predominant wefts inthe fabric pattern.

When using a multi-color automatic loom to weave fabrics having apreponderance of one color with an occasional stripe. the frequentlyused weft is supplied by several stacks grouped in one part of themagazine while another stack is provided with a fancy weft, andprovision is made for drawing the reserve bobbins from the group inrotation from the several stacks. Bo-called repeater mechanisms areemployed to provide progressive selection of bobbins from the stacks ofthero p. but as heretofore constructed the selection has been elected bymechanism which operates the selector when a bobbin is transferred fromthe fancy stack. As a result. the prescribed order in which transfersshould take place from the stacks of the group are skipped and adisproportionately large number of bobbins are drawn from the otherstacks. The result of this arrangement is that some of the stacks aredepleted before others and the full capacity of the group cannot beutilised.

It is an important object of my present invention to provide a controlfor the group which will permit operation of the selector only on suchtransferring operations of the loom as involve bobbins drawn from thegroup without operating the selector when a fancy bobbin is transferred.

As set forth more particularly hereinafter this result is accomplishedby the use of a pawl which operates to advance the selectorprogressively according to a given sequence whenever a replenishingoperation involves any stack in the group having bobbins of the samekind, together with a shield which disables the pawl and preventsprogressive feeding of the selector whenever a fancy bobbin istransferred. In this way the sequence of transfers from the group ispreserved even though interrupted from time to time to permitreplenishment of the fancy weft.

In certain types of fabrics it is desirable to use two different kindsof fancy strands, in which casetwo stacks of the magazine will beassigned to two distinctive decorative wefts while the remaining stacksform the group for the bobbins of the same kind which are to be woveninto the plain part of the fabric. Certainfeatures of my invention areequally applicable whether one or mare fancy wefts were used to provideoccasional 8 D It is a further object of my present invention to actuatethe feeding mechanism for the color control from the top shaft of themagazine which is rocked each time the magazine is set for transfer. Bythus driving thecontroller I preserve the uniform release of bobbinsfrom the stacks in the plain group even though a transfer should berevoked by a misplaced shuttle.

With these and other obiects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings. wherein a convenient embodiment of mypresent invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a multi-color weft replenishing mechanismhaving applied thereto the preferred form of the invention in which twodistinctive and fancy groups of bobbins are provldede Fig. 2 is a detailfront elevation looking in the direction of arrow I, Fig. 1,

Figs. 3. 4 and ii are views looking in the direction of arrow 8. Fig. 2.but showing the parts in different positions. and

Fig. 0 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the modified form of theinvention wherein but one fancy color is used.

In carrying my present invention into eflect I prefer to employ awell-known type of multicolor weft replenishing mechanism including amagazine having several vertical stacks of reserve bobbins. Referringparticularly to Fig. l the loom frame ll supports a magazine It providedwith four vertical stacks of reserve bobbins designated at II, II, IIand I4 associated. respectively. with vertical control slides ll, ll. i1and II. Each slide controls a cradle designated generally at 20 which isrocked first by upward motion and then downward motion of its slide todeliver a bobbin from the corresponding stack.

The vertical motion of the slides is effected by means of a color slidefl comprising a rod ll slidable horizontally on the inner plate 21 ofthe magazine. This color slide is provided with front and back selectorfingers II and II. respectively. which move horizontally with the slide28 and are so related to the vertical slides as to be able to operatebut one of them at a time." When the color slide is in its extreme rightposition as shown in Fig. 1,.

finger fl cooperates with vertical slide l5 and when the color slide 25moves rearwardly to its next station, to the left "in Fig. 1, the rightfinger 28 cooperates with vertical slide l6. As the color slidecontinues to move rearwardly finger 25 cooperates first with slide I1and then lastly with slide l5. .Thus the horizontal position of thecolor slide 25 determines from which stack a reserve bobbin is to bedrawn for transfer. The color slide is rocked by means of a rod 30 whichis depressed when the weft detector not shown indicates weft exhaustiontoraise whichever vertical slide is in controlling position with respectto the color slide. The rod 30 is thereafter raised to lower thepreviously elevated vertical slide, and it is in this way that thecradles are rocked to deliver a bobbin from the selected stack.

The transferrer arm 33 is pivoted as at 34 to themagazine and has a head35 operating in well-known manner to have a downward motion in order tomove a released reserve bobbin into shuttle S in the upper shuttle box Bon the lay L. When a vertical slide is depressed from its temporarilyraised position a dog 31 thereon causes rocking of a'top shaft. 40 insuch a direction as to lower a rod 4| and simultaneously raise'a rod 42connected as at 43 to an arm 44 pivoted at 45 to the magazine frame andfrom which depends a shuttle position detecting arm 616. When a verticalslide descends to release a bobbin preparatory to transfer the shuttleposi tion detector 46 is moved rearwardly to a posi-,

tion where it will be engaged by the lay during the latter part of itsadvance motion and the' lay thus acts to lower the rod 42 and rock shaft40 back to normal position, raising rod 4|.

That part of the mechanism thus far described is of well-knownconstruction and of itself forms no part of my present invention and maybe constructed and operated as set forth in Patents Nos. 1,030,748,1,022,108, and 1,610,562.

When a magazine of the type described is to be used for thereplenishment of shuttles which weave a fabric having a preponderance ofone color with an occasional fancy stripe, certain stacks are providedwith'bobbins of the same kind to form a .plain group while another stackis provided with bobbins carrying the fancy or decorative weft. So longas the shuttle or shuttles which carry the plain weft are in actiontransfers take place from one'or another of the stacks of the plaingroup, but when the fancy shuttle becomes exhausted transfer takes placefrom the corresponding fancy stack. As the parts are related in mypresent disclosure the front or right hand stacks are devoted to theplain weft while the rear stacks accommodate the fancy weft. Thisdivision of the magazine into plain and fancy groups of reserve bobbinsmay be similar to that contemplated in Gordon Patent No. 1,030,077 andinvolves a progressive sequence of motions on the part of the colorslide such as will effect transfer from the plain group whenever plainweft is being replenished without requiring registry between anyparticular stack in the group and the active shuttle.

Referring again to Fig.1 it will be seen that color slide rod 26 hassecured thereto a collar 50 grooved as at 5| to receive a lug 52 on theupper end of a selector lever 53 pivoted on a stud 54 fixed to themagazine frame. A spring 55 holds the lug 52 and therefore the colorslide 55 yieldingly in forward position but permits the slide 25 to bemoved rearwardly either by a link 56 connected to shifting shuttle boxesnot shown at the opposite end of the loom, or some mechanism coordinatedwith them, or by other mechanism to be described. In the usualmulti-color weft replenishing loom the color slide will take up adifferent position for each active shuttle, the position beingdetermined by the location of the drop boxes at the opposite end withrespect to the lay, but in the present instance this control by the dropboxes is exercised in connection with but one or two of the stacks ofbobbins, namely, stacks l3 and I4 or stack l4 alone.

The means for controlling the position of the color slide when plainweft is being-woven includes aratchet wheel 60, lock wheel 6|cooperating with a yieldable lock lever 62, and a cam which in thepreferred form is designated at 65. The ratchet and lock wheels and thecam are all secured together by a bolt 64 and rotate about a fixed stud65 secured to the magazine frame. The cam in the preferred form hasthree spaced high areas 66 between which are located low areas 61 and asshown herein there are six teeth on the ratchet wheel.

The selector lever 53 carries a roll 66 which cooperates with and ispositioned by the cam. The latter is turned by means of a pawl 10pivoted at H to an arm 12 which rocks about a stud 13 fixed with respectto the magazine frame. The lower end of rod 4| is connected as at 14 tothe arm 12.

The cam 63 controls stacks II and I2 and upon each transferringoperation the pawl 10 will be moved down on an idle stroke as thetransferrer arm descends and will be raised to have a working stroke asthe lay completes its forward motion. The pawl therefore has 'an upwardor working stroke for each transfer operation and can rock cam 63through one-sixth of a turn to cause movement of roll 68 and selectorlever 53 back and forth to permit finger 28 to release bobbins first thefront stack H and then the second stack i2 so long asthe weaving ofplain weft continues. Slackness in the connection between link 55 andits control at the opposite end of the loom permits a reciprocation ofthe color slide 25 under action ofthe cam 63 independently of theposition of the shuttle boxes so long as" plain weft is being woven.

When a decorative weft corresponding to the third stack I3 becomesactive the drop boxes will have moved to a position which will causelink 56 to move the color slide rearwardly to its third position withfinger 29 in control of vertical slide l1. At this time the color slideis therefore out of control of the cam, roll 68 having been movedrearwardly from the cam. When the other of the two decorative wefts isactive the color slide is moved to its rearmost position and the fourthstack I4 is under control of the finger 29, and as in the previous casethe cam 63 has no control over the color slide.

In the modified form of the invention set forth in Fig. 6 provision ismade for drawing plain weft from stacks H, l2 and I! which constitutethe plain group and for drawing fancy weft from but one stack. A cam 15replaces cam 63 but the other parts remain substantially the same. Cam15 has a long high dwell 16 corresponding to two teeth on the ratchetwheel and a long low dwell 11 also corresponding to two teeth on theratchet wheel and in addition has two spaced intermediate short dwells18 each corresponding to one tooth of the ratchet wheels. In this formof the invention the cam 15 draws two bobbins succeslively from stackIi, one bobbin from stack ll. two successively from stack It, and onefrom stack It. thus completing the sequence of six transfers. Therearmost stack It is the only one whichcan be controlled from theopposite end of the loom.

lhceptfor the fact that in the preferred form I provide for two fancycolors. the repeater mechanism thus far described may be the same asthat set forth in the previously mentioned Gordon patent. The reservebobbinswill be called from whichever stack is under control of the colorslide II and will be transferred into the shuttle under the magazine.

The matter thus far described and also the mechanism set forth in theGordon patent would effect rocking of the cam for each transfer so thatthe color slide would be moved longitudinally by a transfer whichinvolves a fancy weft. and

certain of the stacks devoted to the plain weft would be skipped withresultant disproportionately large withdrawals from certain of the plainstacks which would therefore become depleted before depletion of thestacks which areskipped. As soon as any stack becomes empty and ashuttle cannot be replenished. a stop motion not shown will stop theloom despitethe fact that reserve bobbins may be in the magazine. andthe remaining bobbins represent a loss of magazine capacity whichrequires more frequent attention on the part of the attendant who fillsthe magaaine than would be necessary if the stacks all became exhaustedat about the same time.

It may be assumed that the length of weft on all of the bobbins, bothlight and fancy would be of substantially the same length. so that eachbobbin will run for the same number of picks before becoming exhausted.This being so. the number of replenishments of the plain w'eft will bearthe same relation to the number of replenishments of fancy wefts as thenumber of plain picks in the fabric pattern bears to the fancy picks. Ifa fabric is being woven in which the fancy stripe occurs frequently, inthe ratio for instance of one fancy pick to nve plain wefts. it may beassumed that every sixth transfer will be to replenish the fancyshuttle. If under these conditions the modified form of the invention isused wherein six transfers are required for a back and forth repeat orsequence of the color slide, the fancy rear stack will be drawn uponevery sixth transfer and the pawl would therefore advance the cam whenthe color slide is at a particular point in its sequence if priorrepeater mechanisms of the Gordon type were used. This point in thesequence will occur simultaneously with replenishment of the fancyshuttle and the plain stack from which a bobbin would otherwise bederived would be skipped for all replenishments of the fancy weft. Thatparticular plain stack would therefore provide less reserve bobbins thanat the other stacks in the group and the latter would become depletedwhile several bobbins still remained in the skipped stack.

Not all pattern repeats will call for the ratio of five plain to onefancy pick in the fabric. Other ratios may be used from time to time andcertain of them will bear such a relation to the six repeats of thesequence of motions of the color slide that the bobbins will be drawn atan uneven rate from stacks in the plain group.

In order to insure uniform rate of discharge of reserve bobbins from thestacks in the plain group I provide a shield which permits the pawl toadvance the cam on those transfers only which involve plain weft andwill prevent the pawl from moving the cam whenever a transfer involves afancy pick. The simpler control is that employed for themodifled form ofthe invention shown in Fig.8 and lt will be described first. A lever Itrockable on stud I has a. pawl shield arm II the position of whiohisdetermined by a link I extending between the lever II and the selectorarm II. The lever has front and back holes II and It. respectively. toreceive the forward end of the link II, but in the modified form wherebut one fancy weftis used the link if is.

fitted into the rear hole ll. 80 long as the fabric pattern calls forplain weft the color slide and control lever II are free to respond tothe cam II and shield II will be out of engaging position relatively topawl II. The cam will therefore .be rocked to cause the color slide tomove back and forth in a sequence which requires two transfers from thefront stack followed by one from the second stack after which two aredrawn from the third stack and then the last of the six again drawn fromthe second stack. In this way each stack is required to supply thesamenumber of bobbins for the sequence of six transfers.

Whenever the fancy weft is called roll it will be moved rearwardly fromthe part of cam II last in engagement with it as link it draws thecontrol lever II to its rearmost position. Link I! will move the shieldsurface ll under pawl Ill and the latter will therefore have an idleupward orworking stroke without turning the cam. When the fancy shuttlepasses out of action control of the color slide II returns to the cam IIand roll II will return to the same part of the cam which it left whenthe fancy shuttle became active. Thus, if the color slide were incontrol of the second stack I! roll it would be on one of theintermediate dwells II and would be moved rearwardly when the fancyshuttle became active. If a replenishment of fancy weft occurred thepawl 10 would rise without turning the cam and upon resumption of plainweaving roll it would return to the intermediate dwell and the sequenceso far as the group of plain weft is concerned would be picked up at thepoint where it had been interrupted. Transfer from the plain group willtherefore take place in normal sequence as though no fancy weft werepresent and all three stacks II, I! and II will be depleted uniformlyand the full capacity of the magazine can therefore be utilised.

In thepreferred form link If enters the forward hole It to cause theshield to disable the pawl when either of the two fancy wefts are beingwoven, but permit the pawl to operate on transfer operations involvingeither of stacks H or If. when the lever It moves from the full to thedotted line position in Fig. 3 under action of the cam It the shieldwill be out of controlling position with respect to the pawl. When thefancy weft corresponding to the third stack II becomes active the colorslide will be moved by link it to the position indicated in Fig. 4 wherethe shield will have the upper part thereof under the pawl It. When theother fancy weft corresponding to the back stack It becomes active thelever It will move to its rearmost position to elevate the shield sothat the lower part of its surface ll will hold the pawl in inactiveposition. Here again as already described in connection with themodified form. the cam II will not be moved when either of the fancywefts are involved in a transferring operation and the roll '8 willreturn to the same part of the cam 83 which it left when one or theother of the fancy wefts became active, hence the sequence in whichbobbins are drawn from the two stacks in the plain group will not beinterrupted.

Another advantage of my invention over prior constructions grows out ofthe fact that the feed pawl is given its working stroke by a part whichmoves whenever the magazine is reset, whether I a normal transfer hasoccurred or a revocation has been effected by a misplaced shuttle. Inconstructions heretofore employed it has been customary to actuate thefeed pawl by the transferrer arm, and in such constructions there is noshifting of the color slide control cam if a transfer is revoked, andthere is likelihood that two bobbins will be released from the samestack before the exhausted shuttle is replenished. When the magazine isset for transfer a bobbin is released by one of the cradles and so faras the number of bobbins remaining in the stack from which the bobbin isderived is concerned, it makes no difference whether the drawn bobbin istransferred or released after revocation. In prior construction thesequence of drawing bobbins from the group of stacks assigned to plainweft would be interrupted by a revocation and bobbins would be drawnfrom various stacks of the group at an un-uniform rate. By driving thefeed pawl from thetop shaft of the magazine I am sure of anuninterrupted sequence in the order in which bobbins are drawn from thestacks when plain weft is being replenished.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means forpermitting a transfer from a fancy stack without interrupting the normalsequence of transfers from the plain group. This result is attained bythe use of a shield which prevents the pawl from having a feeding strokewith respect to the color slide cam whenever a transfer occurs from afancy stack. It is to be understood that some pattern repeats of thefabric are helped more favorably by my invention than are other repeats,but inasmuch as the same loom will be required from time to time toweave fabrics of different pick repeats my invention gives assurancethat the bobbins from the plain group of stacks will be drawn at thesame rate regardless of the fabric pattern. It will also be seen thatthe control for the shield is derived from the lever 53 which is movedby the pattern mechanism or shuttle boxes not shown whenever a fancytransfer is to occur, and link 82 can be connected to the shield ateither of two points depending upon whether one or two fancy yarn arebeing used. While I have set forth my invention with respect to bobbinchanging looms I am not necessarily limited to looms of this type, noram I restricted to the use of a magazine which is of the stationarytype. The repeater control can be used in connection with one or moreshuttles which are devoted to the weaving of the plain part of the weftand therefore will be replenished from the group of stack which supplythe plain weft. It will further be seen that the sequence in whichbobbins are drawn from the stacks of the plain group is not interruptedby a revocation of transfer, due to the fact that the feed pawl receivesits actuating stroke from the top shaft of the magazine rather than fromthe transferrerarm as heretofore.

. Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the-art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom for weaving a fabric in which one type ofweft is predominant and another type occurs less frequently, weftreplenishing mechanism comprising a plurality of stacks of reservebobbins, certain of the stacks forming a group the bobbins of whichcorrespond to the predominant weft and the remainder of the stackscorresponding to the less frequently occurring weft, a stack selectormovable to different positions and capable of registering with anystack, depending upon the position of the selector, positioning means tomove the selector progressively into registering position and in a givensequence with respect to the stacks of the group when replenishingoperations involving the predominant weft occur, an actuator for thepositioning means, mechanism to move the selector into register with thestack of bobbins corresponding to the less frequently occurring weft,and means to prevent operation of the positioning means by the actuatorwhen the selector is in register with the last named stack correspondinto the less frequently used weft.

2. In a weft replenishing loom, for weaving a fabric having predominantand occasional wefts, a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, certainof said stacks arranged in a group and provided with reserve bobbinscorresponding to the predominant weft and the remainder of the stackshaving reserve bobbins corresponding to the occasional weft, bobbinrelease mechanism for each stack, a selector movable into register withany release mechanism and capable of operating the release mechanismregistering therewith, positioning means to give the selector successivemotions to be in register with the several mechanisms in a givensequence when the predominant weft is being replenished, mechanism tomove the selector to a position in register with release mechanism ofthe stack of occasional weft, an actuator for said positioning means,and means to prevent operation of the positioning means by the actuatorwhen the selector is in register with the release mechanism of the stackof occasional weft...

3. In a weft replenishing loom for weaving a fabric having predominantand occasional wefts, a plurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, certainof said stacks constituting a group containing reserve bobbinscorresponding to the predominant weft and the remainder of the stackshaving reserve bobbins corresponding to the occasional weft, bobbinrelease means for each stack, a selector movable to different positionsto cooperate with the release means of the stacks, one at a time, apositioner for the selector movable progressively to different positionsto relate the selector to the release means of the stacks in the groupin a given requence during successive replenishing operations involvingthe predominant weft, an actuator for the positioner having a workingstroke for each replenishing operation bobbins 4. In a weft replenishingloom weaving a fabric having predominant and occasional wefts,- aplurality of stacks of reserve bobbins, certain of said stacksconstituting a group containing reserve bobbins corresponding to thepredominant weft and the remainder of the stacks having reserve bobbinscorresponding to the occasional weft. bobbin release means for eachstack, a selector movable to different positions to cooperate with therelease means of each stack,

one at a time, a positioner for the selector movable progressively todifferent positions to relate the selector to the release means of thestacks in the group in a given sequence, a ratchet wheel fixedrelatively to the positioner, a pawl to actuate the ratchet wheel, meansto give the pawl an operative stroke relatively to the positionerwhenever the predominant weit is replenished, a shield for the pawl, andmeans to move the shield to a position to prevent cooperation of thepawl and ratchet wheel when the selector is operatively related to therelease means of the stack of occasional weft.

5. In a weft replenishing loom, a plurality of stacks of reservebobbins, a bobbin release means for each stack, a member movable fromnormal to abnormalposition whenever any release means operates torelease a bobbin. a selector movable to different positions torcgisterwith any of the release means, one at a time, a positioner for theselector movable progressively to position the selector in register withthe release means in a given sequence, means to cause the selector tooperate the release means registering therewith preparatory to areplenishing operation of the loom, means to return the member fromabnormal to normal position subsequent to operation of a release means,and means to connect the positioner to the member to cause the latter bya force derived therefrom to move the positioner in said sequencewhenever said member has a return motion from abnormal to normalposition.

6. In a weft replenishing loom wherein weft of a given type occurspredominantly in the fabric being woven and weft of another type occursless frequently. a weft replenishing mechanism including a plurality ofstacks of reserve bobbins, certain of said stacks arranged in a groupand holding reserve bobbins corresponding to the predominant weft andthe remainder of the stacks holding reserve bobbins corresponding to theless frequently occurring weft, means to initiate a replenishingoperation with respect to any stack, a

controller for the replenishing mechanism having a motion incidental toinitiation of a replenishing operation, a stack selector movable todifferent positions and capable of registering with any stack.positioning means for the selector, operating means for the positioningmeans connected to and operated by said controller when the latter hassaid incidental motion to give the selector progressive movements toregister with the stacks of the group in a given sequence when thepredominant weft is being replenished, and means to prevent operation ofthe operating means relatively to the positioning means when the lessfrequently occurring weft is being replenished.

7. In a weft replenishing loom in which weft of a given type ispredominant and weft of another type is less dominant in the fabricbeing woven, a weft replenishing mechanism including a plurality ofstacks of reserve bobbins, certain of said stacks arranged in a groupand holding reserve andv the remainder of the stacks holding reservebobbins corresponding to the less dominant weft, bobbin release meansfor each stack. means to initiate a replenishing operation with respectto any stack, a controller for the replenishing mechanism having amotion incidental to initiation of a replenishing operation, a stackselector movable into register with the release means, one at a time,and capable of effecting release of a bobbin from any stack dependingupon the position of said selector, a positioner movable progressivelyto different positions in a given sequence to locate the selector inregister with the release means of the stacks in the group according tosaid given sequence, an actuator for the positioner, said actuatorincluding a pawl to be moved by said controller when the latter has saidincidental motion and a ratchet wheel moving with the positioner andmovable by cooperation with the pawl, a shield the shield in idleposition relatively to the pawl when the predominant weft is beingreplenished to permit cooperation of the pawl and ratchet wheel, andmeans operated by the selector when the latter moves into register withthe release means of the stack corresponding to the less dominant weftto prevent cooperation of the pawl and the ratchet wheel.

8. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay reciprocating backwardly andforwardly and provided with a shuttle box to receive a shuttle, amagazine comprising a plurality of stacks of reserve wefts, a releasemechanism for each stack, a selector movable to diflerent positions tocooperate with each of the release mechanisms one at a time, a shuttleposition detector normally in non-replenishing position, means to movethe shuttle position detector to replenishing position into the path ofthe lay whenever any release mechanism operates to release a reserveweft, the lay subsequently returning the position detector tonon-replenishing position, a positioner for the selector movable todifferent positions to cause the selector to move into operativerelation with respect to the release mechanisms in a given sequence, andan actuator for the positioner connected to the shuttle positiondetector and operated by the latter to move the positioner to causemovement of the selector in said sequence when the shuttle positiondetector is moved forwardly by the lay.

9. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine comprising a plurality ofstacks of reserve wefts, a release mechanism for each stack, a selectormovable to diiierent positions to cooperate with all of the releasemechanisms one at a time, a member having a given motion subsequent tothe operation of any release mechanism, a positioner for the selectormovable to different positions to locate the selector operatively withrespect to certain of the stacks of reserve wefts in a given sequencerelatively to the stacks, a ratchet wheel moving with the positioner, apawl to actuate the ratchet wheel, a shield for the pawl. connectionsbetween the pawl and member causing the latter to give the pawl anoperating stroke with respect to the ratchet wheel whenever said memberhas said given motion, and means to move the shield into position toprevent the pawl from cooperating with the ratchet wheel when theselector moves to operative position with respect to other of therelease mechanisms than those corresponding to saidcertain stacks.

10. In a weft replenishing loom weaving a fabcorresponding to thepredominant weft ric in which a predominant weft alternates with a forthe pawl, means to hold,

less dominant weft, a plurality of compartments holding reserve bobbins,certain of the compartments forming a group the bobbins of whichcorrespond to-thef predominant weft and the remainder of thecompartments corresponding to the less dominant weft, transfer mechanismto transfer a reserve bobbin drawn from any compartment, selector meansto select bobbins from any compartment, a controller for the selectormeans to cause the selector to move progressively and select bobbins ina predetermined sequence from the compartments of the group duringsuccessive replenishments of the predominant weft,

transfer mechanism transfers a bobbin derived from said remainder of thecompartments.

11. In a weftreplenishing loom weaving a fabric in which one weft ispredominant and another weft is less dominant, a plurality ofcompartments of reserve wefts, certain of the compartments forming agroup the reserve wefts of which correspond to the predominant weft andthe remainder of the compartments corresponding to the less dominantweft, a reserve weft selector movable into registry with all thecompartments. one at a time, a positioner for the selector movableprogressively to control the position of the selector and cause thelatter to register successively with the compartments in the group in agiven sequence, means to move the selector out of control relatively tothe positioner register with said remainder of said compartments at anypoint in the sequence, means to hold the positioner in the position itoccupies when the selector moves to registry with said remainder of saidcompartments, and means to return the selector to the control .of thepositioner at the same point in the sequence at which the selectorpreviously left the control of the positionen,

12. In awett replenishing loom weaving a fabrim in which one weft ispredominant and'another weft is less dominant. a plurality ofcompartments of reserve wefts, certain of the compartments forming agroup of reserve'wefts of which correspond to the predominant weft and 1the remainder of the compartments corresponding to the less dominantweft, a selector to draw v reserve wefts from all the compartments oneat a time, means to control the selector including a positioner normallyconnected operatively to the selector, mechanism operative only at thetime of replenishing operations of the loom to give the positionerprogressive movements to cause the selector to draw reserve wefts fromthe group in a given sequence with respect to the compart-- ments in thegroup, and means to move the selector temporarily to abnormal positionout of operative connection with said positioner and prevent operationof said mechanism to cause the selector to draw reserve wefts from said.remainder of the compartments without interrupting said sequence inwhich said selector draw reserve wefts from the group.

RICHARD G. TURNER.

